Homeless Quints. When a white American has quints in America, companies fall all over themselves to provide money, goods, and services for this "miracle." When a dark-skinned Nigerian has quints in America, though, a somewhat harder time is in store.
Citizenship concerns aside, the lack of humanitarian concern here is staggering.posted by FormlessOne (26 comments total)

"Friends from the Concord Baptist Church and relatives here and in Africa want to help. But nobody has a home for Omolola. "

But it's "America" that is acting harshly toward her. If these friends and relatives are not homeless, then they have homes to offer. Or is it that no one wants to be inconvenienced. The whole article is a troll. The people from Iowa are citizens of this country and should not be used as a comparison.posted by archimago at 6:25 AM on February 12, 2003

What "white American" are you talking about that had quints and had companies fall all over themselve??

Maybe you're confusing Septuplets and Quintuplets?posted by Blake at 6:35 AM on February 12, 2003

The whole article is a troll.

Why? Surely if the woman was granted a medical visa and the authorities knew why she was going to the US they must have considered what would happen to the babies afterwards. Is there really nowhere to put them but a homeless shelter?

It's hard to know the whole story just from this article though. What was the woman expecting to happen? Had she arranged to stay with friends?posted by Summer at 6:40 AM on February 12, 2003

Maybe Nestle could sponsor them. After all, it has an excellent record of peddling baby formula in Africa.posted by stonerose at 7:10 AM on February 12, 2003

oneand a half babies, tops....too many people now as it is.posted by Postroad at 7:12 AM on February 12, 2003

I'd like to see the media stop glorifying multiple births altogether, regardless of what color the parents are.posted by MrBaliHai at 7:20 AM on February 12, 2003

"Quints" sounds like the name of some obscure, nearly-forgotten disease - like "beriberi" or "rickets". I clicked the link trying to figure out what sort of disability would be considered a "miracle" worthy of support... but even after finding out that the post was referring to "quintuplets", I don't think the situation changes much.posted by Mars Saxman at 7:30 AM on February 12, 2003

I don't know that the media really glorifies quintuplets or other multiple births. Births like these are rare and as such are curiosities, which the media exploit to sell their product. I have more sympathy for her than I do couples who are overwhelmed with babies after (quite successfully I guess) treating infertility. If you're being treated for infertility you have to be aware of the risks, which is that rather than one bundle of joy you may get 2, or 3 or 7.

On the other hand I can understand why she hasn't received an outswelling of support either. It doesn't have anything to do with her skin colour or even really her nationality. In the other publicized cases the families were already part of a community but in her case she's a bit of an interloper. Stupidity on the part of the government exacerbated her problem because they should have realized that bringing her in to deliver them also meant that there would be some length of convalescence afterwards.posted by substrate at 7:43 AM on February 12, 2003

Sad article. Troll post.posted by zeoslap at 7:48 AM on February 12, 2003

So when people hear of a distressed young mother in a desperate situation, they respond by complaining about the way this information was brought to their attention?

Didn't the mother have to state whom she would be residing with when she completed her visa paperwork? Seems that person should foot the bill for her family's expenses. Put it on credit cards like the rest of us do.posted by Juicylicious at 8:13 AM on February 12, 2003

Troll post indeed. That aside I really can't stand the saint attitudes people present regarding these stories. The "we should help these people" crowd fails to realize, that the first people that should help, should have been themselves (subjects). I cannot stand people who are so poor, that they think nothing of having children. First thing they do is turn to everyone else mooching for free stuff. What about my babies? They are hungry. Oh yeah, if you cannot afford to feed them then you shouldn't have had them. Put them up for adoption loser.
Seems to me that this could all have been avoided by not granting the visa that got her here in the first place.posted by a3matrix at 8:15 AM on February 12, 2003

I would assume applying for a medical visa would differ greatly from other visa applications -- because it is assumed that once the medical treatment is over, you go back to your original country. Probably such visas are used for surgeries, and the people don't necessarily stay anywhere but the hospital.

As for people at the church wanting to help her, but not having an apartment she can stay in -- it's not like people in New York City are overflowing with extra space in their homes. Obviously someone has space for one adult, but you can't farm each child out to different homes.

Yes, the mother, the hospital, and the visa grantors should have known that the babies would likely have to stay in the hospital for an extended amount of time, even if the mother wouldn't. Problem is, these kids are likely to have medical problems for a very long time; and though they might not need to be constantly hospitalized, I doubt Nigerian health care is up to the job. Then again, much of African health care isn't up to the job of keeping regular kids from dying of infectious diseases.

In any case, it sounds like those kids will be permanent residents of the hospital for at least the next year.posted by meep at 8:45 AM on February 12, 2003

So people hear that a young mother in a desperate situation was shipped to the US because if she stayed in Nigeria, she and her babies might die.

What's their response? "She shouldn't have come here, because then it wouldn't be our problem".

Brilliant. Finally, a good answer to the question "WWJD".posted by spazzm at 9:11 AM on February 12, 2003

That aside I really can't stand the saint attitudes people present regarding these stories. The "we should help these people" crowd fails to realize, that the first people that should help, should have been themselves (subjects). I cannot stand people who are so poor, that they think nothing of having children.

Troll comment, indeed. a3matrix, I suppose do you understand the difference between having 5 children and having quintuplets?posted by samelborp at 9:15 AM on February 12, 2003

Brilliant. Finally, a good answer to the question "WWJD".

Spazzm, the post and the article read two different ways for me.

WWJD: He would have had faith-rest in not depending on a human but GOD above.posted by thomcatspike at 9:17 AM on February 12, 2003

It's not like she's the first pregnant woman to come to the US to "off-load" her child(ren) who now (as US citizens) qualify for many public assistance. Sure she needed the US's advanced medical expertise but now the US public has to foot the bill for this woman and her children.

WWJD? Troll. He was celibate.posted by DBAPaul at 10:01 AM on February 12, 2003

"Give me your tired your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
We really should cover over that if people are going to take it literally. It is a very old slogan, and we do not have much need for huddled masses anymore.posted by thirteen at 12:47 PM on February 12, 2003

Are there no workhouses? Are there no prisons?posted by Chanther at 1:39 PM on February 12, 2003

You would think that they could be put up for adoption if conditions are that bad for them.posted by Degaz at 2:22 PM on February 12, 2003

The people from Iowa are citizens of this country and should not be used as a comparison.

So are these kids, retard.posted by delmoi at 5:09 PM on February 12, 2003

Maybe the NY Post could help find them an apartment. Probably not.

Having just come back from Kings County Hospital not a half hour ago, I can assure you there are plenty of people needing assistance who will never get the benefit of a news article to explain their plight. (And I am not talking about me.) I could easily pick out half of the 40 people in that waiting room who need assistance just as much as her and those children. Didn't see any reporters hanging out in the emergency room taking their stories tonight.

Troll Article. Troll Newspaper. Maybe the NY Post should spread some ink about marginal healthcare for those who cannot afford it.posted by lampshade at 8:31 PM on February 12, 2003

pointless. troll. delete.posted by shoos at 1:46 AM on February 13, 2003

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